


Armani

by Clytemnestrasrevenge (orphan_account)



Category: VIXX
Genre: Alternate Universe - Crime, Assassins, Breakups but It’s for the Best, Danger, Death but Not Anyone Important, Enemies to Lovers, Established Relationship, Inspired by ‘Killing Eve’, M/M, Rivals to Lovers, Secret Agents and Secret Agencies, Violent Past/Past Trauma, Weaponry, flirting?, medium to slow burn, mutual obsession
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-11-23
Updated: 2019-12-30
Packaged: 2021-02-26 05:48:25
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 6
Words: 13,250
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21538498
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/Clytemnestrasrevenge
Summary: “It was him, I know it was.”He was Jaehwan’s pet project. More like pet obsession, if Wonshik was being honest with himself. A nameless, faceless assassin, operating internationally in at least ten countries. The guy, who ever he was, had a list of kills (if Jaehwan was to be believed) as long as Wonshik’s arm and a flare for the dramatic that would be better suited to the theater. And nobody else really cared about the guy or connected the hits like Jaehwan did.*Updates every Sunday*
Relationships: Han Sanghyuk | Hyuk/Lee Jaehwan | Ken, Jung Taekwoon | Leo/Kim Wonshik | Ravi, Kim Wonshik | Ravi/Lee Jaehwan | Ken
Comments: 17
Kudos: 37





	1. D is for Dangerous

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [Song for the Chapter](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0w6WlfdPSms)

Jaehwan was looking himself over in a wide and spotless mirror when it happened. When _he_ happened.

“Try combing it up.”

A voice he’d never heard before. Jaehwan looked around men’s bathroom of the Hotel Crown, all white marble and gold fixtures, and _he_ was standing there. Three piece Armani suit. Black hair slicked up off a very angular face. Cheekbones so sharp Jaehwan would probably cut himself if he tried to touch, and a jawline to match. Narrow eyes almost as dark as that hair. And _big._

“Pardon?” the young detective asked, steadying his voice as best he could in the face of this stranger. A smile like a whip crack split _his_ face and Jaehwan suppressed a shudder of _something._ Whatever it was, it sent goosebumps erupting across his arms. Jaehwan couldn't even identify whether it was a good or bad feeling, just that it was strong. 

_He_ moved forwards, steps measured and even, and Jaehwan instinctively took a step back. “Try combing it up, like...off your face. I’ll show you.” The stranger closed the distance between them in only a few long strides. Jaehwan’s grip on his pocket-comb was slack with surprise and a little bit of confusion, so _he_ had no difficulty prying it from the detective’s fingers.

“Like this.”

With a hand placed uncomfortably close to Jaehwan’s waist, _he_ turned the detective until they were both facing the mirror. _His_ silhouette was just so large, Jaehwan’s reflection fit entirely inside the strangers. Could easily have been enveloped by _him._

_He_ ran the detective’s comb under the tap and then through his hair almost gently, shifting Jaehwan’s platinum fringe up off his forehead. Jaehwan, dumbfounded, just stood there and allowed it to happen, allowed _him_ to do it, staring at _his_ hands as they moved in the mirror. And if Jaehwan was honest, the new styling was an improvement. He was undercover at a gala, after all, he should look the part. 

“God, but I do so love a blonde,” _he_ murmured, sounding almost distracted as he maneuvered a few final strands of hair into place. Jaehwan idly wondered if _he_ was a celebrity hairdresser or something, that would make a lot of sense. “There. Perfect.”

“Uh, thanks,” Jaehwan replied, shifting away, uncomfortable now. _He_ was standing too close for comfort. The comb was slid into the inner pocket of Jaehwan’s jacket in a move so abrupt it was almost jarring. _He_ grinned at the detective’s reflection, a grin full of mischief, but _his_ eyes had slid out of focus. Or... into focus, but not focused on Jaehwan, on something Jaehwan couldn’t see. “You’re most welcome.”

And with a final brush of fingertips to the nape of Jaehwan’s neck, _he_ was gone.

Jaehwan exhaled a shaky breath once the bathroom door had clicked shut. What a weird person. Who just comes up to strangers and messes with their hair without being asked? His five minute break was almost over so the detective looked himself over in the mirror one last time. Straightened his jacket. Made sure he didn’t have food in his teeth or toilet paper stuck to his shoe. Satisfied that he was presentable, Jaehwan exited the bathroom, intending to go find his partner and their assignment. 

It wasn’t every day that Jaehwan got to do undercover work, a rare treat. He loved field work, loved the thrill of being around new people and trying to blend into a crowd. Wonshik always said that Jaehwan should have gone into acting rather than criminal investigation. When he wasn’t going on about Jaehwan’s singing voice, that was. 

“What are you smiling about?” Seokjin asked, once Jaehwan had found him loitering by the bar. “My hubby,” the detective replied. His partner repressed a snort with clear difficulty. “He’s over there, by that woman in the atrocious green dress.”

Jaehwan let his eyes slowly flick across the hotel ballroom. Their assignment was standing there, a middle-aged businessman with both an oversized watch and underaged girl on his arm. Sex trafficker, really sick piece of shit. And the two detectives were not supposed to let him out of their sight. 

“Remind me again why we haven't hauled his ass back to the station yet?”

“Too conspicuous, and too high profile. We get him on the way out,” Seokjin replied, as if Jaehwan’s question hadn’t been sarcastic. He knew the plan backwards and forwards: call backup when he leaves the ballroom, nab their target as he’s getting into the car, secure the girl’s safety, and let the armored guys take care of the rest. 

“I know.” Jaehwan stepped on his partner’s foot, smile never leaving his face for a second. It was with an easy casualness that the detectives took glasses of champagne from a tall waiter passing by their corner. They didn’t actually drink, just held the crystal to closed lips and swallowed, but it completed the illusion that they were meant to be there.

Wonshik would be so proud if he could see him, Jaehwan thought, pretending to take another sip of champagne. He was the most supportive person in Jaehwan’s life, always there to be a sounding board when Jaehwan had too much going on in his overcrowded head. Always ready with a mug of tea and a hug if Jaehwan had a hard day at work, or just a hard day in general. The fact that he fucked like a dream was really only an added bonus. 

The sound of shattering glass drew both detectives attention, and while they were too well trained to actually turn their heads at the sound of the disturbance, it didn’t go unnoticed. Probably just a server dropping a try or something of that nature. “Do you think he’s-”

Several very surprising things happened in quick succession. The girl accompanying their target let out a very piercing shriek, Seokjin shuddered and collapsed, and a pool of blood began to spread around their target’s left foot. Jaehwan, slightly panicked now, managed to catch his partner before he hit the ground and spared three seconds to make sure he wouldn’t get a concussion hitting his head on the floor. As much as he hated to do it, assignment was priority. 

Jaehwan stumbled through the crowd of the now screaming party goers and put a hand on the poor girl's arm to try and calm her down. He could see where the blood was coming from, a small nick on their target’s thigh. Not even a nick, it looked like more like a scratch, but it must have been deep because the man’s pants were absolutely soaked with crimson. 

“What happened!?” he asked, vision turning the smallest bit fuzzy. The girl was clinging to him now, hugging Jaehwan like a boa constrictor and crying into his shoulder as he reached up to tap his earpiece. At least one half of his job was done.

“We have a situation, target critically injured and my partner is down, but the asset is secure.”

_‘Sending armed support, standby,’_ came crackling through the small speaker. Jaehwan nodded a little to himself, head spinning unpleasantly as he returned his attention to the girl glued to his front. “What happened?” he repeated, shooting a glance in his partner’s direction. Seokjin was still out cold on the ground. Had he been drugged? Had Jaehwan been drugged? What was going on? The young detective couldn’t think straight. 

“I don’t know! I just looked down and there was blood everywhere! I didn’t do it, I swear!” the girl stuttered, crying harder than before. Jaehwan tried to console her as best he could, nobody would blame her if she had done it, but he didn’t think so. This, whatever it was, was clearly professionally done, Jaehwan thought, breath growing more labored as he looked down at their target lying in a pool of his own blood. It looked like _him._

“I know, you’ve done nothing wrong, we’re here to help you, everything is okay,” Jaehwan replied, passing the poor girl off to two EMT’s that appeared at his side. Armed support had arrived as well, black uniforms blending in with the tuxedo wearing guests but their guns conspicuously out of place. 

“Status report,” one of the gun toting men demanded. Jaehwan tried to clear his throat and failed. “It’s him, he’s the target,” he said, gesturing to the guy bleeding out on the floor. “I don’t know- he was just bleeding and-” the detective’s legs wobbled, “My partner collapsed, he’s there, by the bar.”

“Was he hit?”

“No,” Jaehwan coughed, “There wasn’t any gunfire, he just passed out, and then she started screaming and...”

The detective’s worlds trailed off, the world around him blurring, legs turning to jelly. He felt himself falling, and then... nothing.

⬲---⟴

Wonshik’s heart was stuck somewhere between his throat and his stomach as he stepped out of the police cruiser that had picked him up half an hour ago. Not in his chest cavity where it was supposed to be, that was for sure. 

Injured in the line of duty, but alive. That was all the deputy had been able to tell him. Not how severely Jaehwan had been injured, not if he was conscious, not if he’d been shot or stabbed or beaten. Wonshik knew nothing. 

The hospital was busy, emergency waiting room packed and nurses were answering questions from a line of people that stretched nearly to the entrance, but Wonshik didn’t linger. He was lead through a set of double doors and down several quietly hallways, fighting the very strong urge to take off at a run. 

“They’re in here,” a kind looking nurse said to the deputy accompanying (or chaperoning) Wonshik, pointing to a room on the left. Wonshik’s fingers twitched at his sides. 

“Can I see him? Please?”

The nurse smiled softly. “Go on in, but keep the volume level down.”

Wonshik lost a bit of his forced composure as he threw the door open. Seokjin, Jaehwan’s partner, was either sleeping or unconscious in the bed closest to the door and then beyond him-

“Sweetheart,” he breathed, rushing to his husband’s bedside and fighting not to collapse with relief. Jaehwan was awake if a bit groggy looking, the head of his bed elevated and a too-large gown concealing his small frame. 

“Shikkie?” Jaehwan croaked, clearing his throat and rubbing his eyes. Wonshik swooped down upon him, catching Jaehwan’s face in his hands and dropping kisses on every inch of skin he could reach. Jaehwan gave a weak little laugh. 

“What happened to you, sweetheart? They wouldn’t tell me anything! I’ve been losing my mind!”

“Chloroform.”

Wonshik blinked. 

“An inhalational anesthetic. Used to put people to sleep, mostly used in movies and stuff. Not sure how they did it, but Jinnie got it worse than me,” Jaehwan elaborated, covering one of Wonshik’s hands with his own. “I just passed out, no injuries.”

“I know what chloroform is but- thank fucking god! I thought you’d gotten yourself shot!” Wonshik replied, looking from one of his husband's eyes to the other. Drugs would certainly explain Jaehwan’s rather dazed expression. “How long are they keeping you?”

“Jinnie’s in for the night, that’s for sure, but the doctor is going to tell me when he returns. He should be back any minute now actually.”

“Hopefully we can go soon. I want you safe in our bed, this place gives me the creeps,” Wonshik murmured, brushing his lips across his husband’s knuckles as he spoke. 

Wonshik was a music teacher. He taught high schoolers, oversaw choir practise, chaperoned the acapella club. This sort of thing wasn’t what he was used to dealing with. The worst he ever had to deal with at work was breaking up fights when his students got too rowdy. Wonshik didn’t have to worry about getting drugged by bad guys, about being killed, and it was the aspect of his husband’s occupation he liked least. 

The worry was almost constant. From the moment Jaehwan kissed him goodbye in the morning until Jaehwan kissed him when he got home in the evening, Wonshik worried. Some days were easier than others, like when he knew Jaehwan would be stuck at his desk drowning in paperwork. Days like today, when he knew Jaehwan was out on a job, were much harder. 

“I’m so fucking glad you’re alright,” he sighed, sitting up straight and removing his glasses. He rubbed the bridge of his nose, then his temples. A headache was coming on. A really shitty one, if Wonshik had to guess. 

Jaehwan pawed at the younger’s arm, a tiny pout on his angelic face. “I’m sorry I scared you, it wasn’t supposed to happen. This was supposed to be an easy one.”

“It’s fine sweetheart, I know you didn’t actively try to get drugged.”

Both men looked around at the sound of footsteps. “And you are?” the doctor asked, tone curt. 

“I’m the husband, Kim Wonshik,” Wonhik replied, his voice sounding drained even to his own ears. He flashed the silver wedding band on his left hand. 

“Well,” the doctor sniffed, speech clipped as he stared down at what was presumably Jaehwan’s chart. “As far as we can determine, the chloroform was inhaled rather than ingested, but we found traces of it on your mouth, which was a bit strange.”

“The champagne,” Jaehwan muttered, head falling back against the pillows. “We had glasses of champagne but we weren't actually drinking. Pretending to take sips but keeping our mouths closed,” he clarified.

The doctor sniffed again. Wonshik was instantly annoyed by that. “That would explain it. Your partner may have accidentally swallowed a little and that would be why he was affected so much more than you were.”

Jaehwan nodded sleepily. “When can he go home?” Wonshik asked, tension knotting in the spot between his shoulders. “Your husband was administered a very precise dose, Mr. Kim. Who ever gave it to him knew what they were doing. Just enough to knock him out without doing any real damage. As long as he has bed rest for the next twenty-four hours, he’s free to go.”

Once the doctor had checked on Seokjin and left the room, Wonshik helped a rather wobbly Jaehwan out of bed. “I brought you clothes, just joggers and a hoodie, but I thought you’d prefer them to putting your tux back on.”

“Thank you, love, I really would. That tux makes me feel like I’m being strangled.”

They filled out the discharge paperwork as quickly as possible and huddled together in the back of the cruiser, traveling home in silence. Wonshik didn’t feel much like talking and Jaehwan didn’t seem to mind, dozing off with his head in the crook of Wonshik’s neck. Just being able to hold his husband was a reassurance for Wonshik. Being able to feel the steady warmth of his breathing. 

Jaehwan still looked rather glazed when Wonshik shepherded him into their cozy two bedroom townhouse. “It was a girl.” He mumbled, as Wonshik pulled the covers of their king size bed back so he could get in. “Who was a girl?”

“The person we were rescuing... sex trafficker died, and serves him right for being such a piece of shit, but I felt terrible for the girl... she was crying on me and stuff.”

“Well it certainly sounds like the guy deserved it,” Wonshik replied, tucking their comforter up under his husband’s chin and sitting on the edge of the bed. He could tell when Jaehwan needed to talk something through, and this was definitely one of those times. 

Jaehwan pouted in thought. “He did deserve it, but it still wasn’t supposed to happen. We needed to interrogate him and stuff so we could work on dismantling his network, but now...”

“How did whoever it was manage to knock out an entire party without being noticed?” Wonshik asked, trying to be helpful. His husband just pouted harder. “It wasn’t the entire party, though. Jinnie and I were the only ones who were drugged, as far as I know.”

“Maybe they just wanted to take out the two best looking guys there, because that tuxedo looked sensational on you.” Wonshik was trying to lighten Jaehwan’s mood, but his husband didn't seem to notice. He was frowning at the hand Wonshik was holding, a very far away look in his eye.

“I _did_ get a compliment about my hair...”

Wonshik smiled a little. “It does look nice combed up like this.”

Silence between them for a few heartbeats. 

“It was _him,_ I know it was.”

_He_ was Jaehwan’s pet project. More like pet obsession, if Wonshik was being honest with himself. A nameless, faceless assassin, operating internationally in at least ten countries. The guy, who ever he was, had a list of kills (if Jaehwan was to be believed) as long as Wonshik’s arm and a flare for the dramatic that would be better suited to the theater. And nobody else really cared about the guy or connected the hits like Jaehwan did.

“I’m sure it wasn’t, sweetheart, there are plenty of crazy people in the world.”

Jaehwan blinked, smoothing over his face and looking at Wonshik through purposefully wide eyes. “Can I have my phone?”

“No. No work, you need sleep.”

“Pwease?”

The pout was back, but Wonshik wouldn’t surrender to it this time. “No,” he replied, as gently as he could, but his pulse was starting to throb against his temples now. Sleep would be good for both of them. 

⬲---⟴

“Do we have CCTV for the gala yet?” Jaehwan asked, shuffling papers as soon as his partner stepped into his office. 

“It just came in, but we have another assignment.”

Jaehwan glanced up and winced. “You look busted,” he said, taking in the dark circles and sallow skin. Seokjin laughed without a single drop of humor. “Yeah, one sip and I got the worst hangover of my entire life. Never drinking champagne again, that's for certain.”

“What’s the new thing then?”

“Boss just told me, the girl is in custody. They’re worried who ever did it was is going to try and come after her before we can interview her, and she's in no fit state to be interviewed by anyone yet.”

“What does that have to do with us?”

“Protection,” Seokjin sighed, swiping the fresh mug of coffee off Jaehwan’s desk. “Us and two armed officers get to go hang out with her at the hospital until she’s ready to talk.”

“While that sounds riveting, I actually have a shit ton of work to do-“

“Yeah you do. Babysitting is hard.”

Jaehwan huffed, letting his head fall back and blinking up at the ceiling. “Can I at least review the CCTV while we’re there? I want to see who did it.”

But Jaehwan already knew who did it. It was _him._ That unique blend of flashy and discrete. Nobody killed like _he_ did. 

“Sure, workaholic, let’s get going.”

The young detective let his partner drive, reviewing the footage from the Hotel Crown ballroom on 8x speed on his tiny phone screen. He watched tiny black and white versions of himself and Seokjin meander around, sticking together, never more than ten yards from their target. And then, the tiny version of himself murmured something and walked away. 

He switched cameras and followed himself down the hall until he disappeared into the bathroom and waited. _He_ exited first, that hairstylist with the fantastic bone structure, and then tiny Jaehwan left as well. 

When he clicked back to the footage from the ballroom, Jaehwan watched himself return to Seokjin’s side. Watched himself take a glass of champagne from the waiter-

“Stop the car!”

“What?!”

“Stop the fucking car!”

With a hiss, Seokjin slammed on the breaks and pulled their borrowed cruiser up to the curb. “You nearly gave me a heart attack! What’s the matter!”

Jaehwan wasn’t listening. He zoomed in the footage as close as he could. “Look at him, the server!” he exclaimed, jabbing the screen with his finger. 

“What about him?!”

“I met him! I have his prints!”

“What the fuck are you talking about?!”

The young detective was staring at his phone, heart beating a thousand miles an hour and thoughts racing through his head. “He was in the bathroom when I took my break! He was in a suit though, with like a jacket and vest! And he- he borrowed my comb!”

Jaehwan didn’t know what made him hold back, but unwittingly having his hair styled by an assassin in the bathroom of the Hotel Crown seemed like a very bad thing to disclose. Because the man on his screen was undoubtedly _him._ The jacket and vest had been ditched, just black pants and white shirt with a plain black tie. _He_ looked like a very classy waiter and Jaehwan hadn’t even looked at the man’s face when he took the drink! _He_ just blended in, entirely effortlessly!

“Don’t let strangers borrow your comb! Are you actively trying to get lice?!”

Jaehwan punched his partner in the arm. “Turn around! It’s still in my jacket pocket! I’ve got to get it to the lab so we can get Armani’s finger prints!”

“I’m sure Giorgio Armani already has his prints on file,” Seokjin muttered, flipping on the siren and pulling the cruiser back onto the road. He said something else as he changed routes, now heading toward Jaehwan’s townhouse, but the young detective wasn’t listening. 

It was _him,_ it was actually _him._ Jaehwan had met _him._ Been touched by _him._ Spoken to _him._

He played the little bit of footage back and then watched it at half speed. Armani had his head lowered as Seokjin took a glass from the tray he was holding. There were only two fucking glasses on it, Jaehwan should have noticed a detail like that! He watched himself take a glass, watched Armani’s head lift to look at him, just the smallest bit, a hint of a smile. And _his_ other hand moved from behind _his_ back, but Jaehwan couldn’t see what _he_ did with it. The camera angle was clearly a weak spot.

Jaehwan watched those ten seconds over and over and over until they reached his home. Wonshik was already at school, and he fumbled around in his pocket for his house keys. 

“Go check on the girl, I’ll take the comb to the lab and meet you there,” Jaehwan said, distracted, as he pushed the car door open.

“Fine, just don’t fuck it up, use gloves!” Seokjin called, but the young detective was already running up the front steps. 

He jogged inside and up to their bedroom, thunder pounding in his ears. It was _him!_

Wonshik had hung the tuxedo on the bathroom door so Jaehwan could take it to the dry cleaners, but the detective pulled the jacket off the hanger and dropped it on his bed. His fingers trembled, somehow keeping the presence of mind to hide his hand in the sleeve of his shirt as he reached inside the pocket. 

The comb looked just the way it had the night before. Shiny black plastic, a strand of his own blonde hair caught in the teeth. Jaehwan lay it gingerly atop the coverlet and reached back into the pocket, just in case-

Something crinkled. Releasing his sleeve, Jaehwan’s fingers dug around inside... paper. 

He pulled it out, a folded square of cream colored paper. Hotel stationary, he realized, noting the Hotel Crown logo on the top. And then, scrawled emerald ink with what looked like a fountain pen...

Phantom fingers brushing the nape of his neck...

_‘Sorry gorgeous’_

  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Thank you to @Jaehwanet for Beta'ing, love you*


	2. I Put a Spell on You

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [Song for the Chapter](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ua2k52n_Bvw)

“Here, Boss sent half your payment in advance.”

Sanghyuk snatched the stack of bills from Hongbin's hand and weighed it in his own. Too light. Significantly too light. “What do you mean _‘in advance’?_ I did the job!” he snapped, glaring at his handler as he tossed the money on his bed. 

Hongbin sighed, looking at Sanghyuk with a bit more seriousness than he usually did. “You got the target, but the girl saw you. And she’s alive.”

“So what? I wasn’t being paid to kill the girl!”

This conversation was starting to bore Sanghyuk. Hongbin rarely bored him, his handler was usually so fun to talk to. And nice to look at, but what was the point of having a handsome face when all the words that came out of it were dull? 

“She saw you.”

“She saw a _waiter,”_ Sanghyuk corrected, flopping face down on the end of his mattress. The coverlet was new, gold and ivory damask sateen by Yves Delorme. He’d seen it while doing a job in Florence last month. Too bad that last one had gotten blood all over it, Sanghyuk could have saved himself a shopping trip if the guy had only stood three feet to the left. 

“She is in custody. Bad.” 

The assassin raised his head.

“She’s going to be interviewed by MI6. Worse.”

Shit. That _was_ worse.

“Tomorrow.”

“Well, how was I supposed to know MI6 would give so much of a shit about some sex-trafficking pig?” Sanghyuk asked, immediately going on the defensive. It wouldn’t help much, he could already tell. Weekend ruined.

“They don’t care about him, they care about who _killed_ him,” Hongbin replied. His plaid button-up and jeans looked so out of place in Sanghyuk’s Paris apartment it was almost funny. Sanghyuk loved a label. A designer. Something one of a kind. And even with that face, his handler was a dime a dozen as far as the assassin was concerned. Hongbin didn’t belong here.

“You don’t normally make slip ups like this, Hyuk-ah. What’s going on?”

Sanghyuk rolled onto his back, tossing the stack of cash straight up and catching it one-handed. “I met someone.”

“You don’t meet people. You fuck people and then fuck off.”

“No time to fuck him, unfortunatly, I was at work. But he had the most _gorgeous_ hair.”

Hongbin gave the assassin a look. _That_ look, where he was trying to appear neutral but was actually concerned. “Just don’t let yourself be distracted again. The girl needs to be taken care of tonight, so you’d better get going,” he said, smoothing down the front of that hideous shirt and setting a postcard down on Sanghyuk’s night table. From this angle, he could just make out that it had a picture of Big Ben on it. So, he was going back to London. Great. 

“This train ticket had better be first class,” Sanghyuk muttered, producing the slip of paper he’d lifted out of his handler’s pocket as soon as he walked in the door. Hongbin gave a disgruntled little sniff but smiled all the same. 

“Only the best.”

⬲---⟴

_A small laceration to the femoral artery. Victim bled out within minutes, but the cut was so shallow it went unnoticed._

Jaehwan was staring at the crime scene photo open on his laptop screen and had been for several minutes. It was... he didn't actually know what time it was. The young detective had taken the night shift babysitting their asset so he was tucked away in his home office, shrouded in soft knit and fresh off a too-long nap. The killer was _him._ Jaehwan knew it was. He ran down the list in his head, folding his bare legs up onto his desk chair.

Discrete? _Check._

Subtle hint of flamboyance? _Check._

Disguise? _Check._

CCTV blackout when the crime was committed? _Check._

Unnecessary attention seeking behavior? _Triple fucking check._

If Jaehwan weren't so excited about meeting him, he’d probably be terrified. But Jaehwan wasn’t terrified. He was actually kind of impressed. Not many people could successfully pull off a delayed action murder in the middle of a crowded room without being noticed. Armani could though. The detective wished he knew _his_ name, Armani was kind of a shitty code name but it was better than nothing. 

Still though... such a small cut had done that much damage? Just a little nick? It could just look small, maybe it was a deeper wound than it looked like in the pictures... 

Blaming the impulse on professional curiosity, Jaehwan grabbed the closest sharp thing (which turned out to be a letter opener) and propped one leg up on the edge of his desk. He didn’t want to actually bleed out of course, but how had Armani managed to cut the victim in such a way that he hadn’t noticed until there was blood all over the floor?! 

The level of skill was what impressed Jaehwan most, he thought, tracing a faint blue vein near his hip. What drove Armani to do it? What was he thinking when he made a kill? Was he remorseful at all? Even though the victim had been uncategorically monstrous, he had still been a human being with thoughts and feelings. Taking a life was such an... intimate thing. Did Armani feel a connection to his victims? Is that why he did it? To feel something? Or was it just a hit of adrenaline for him?”

Jaehwan hissed under his breath and dropped the letter opener without following his whim through. The front door had shut. Rattling of keys dropping in their little porcelain key bowl, thump of a briefcase being dropped on the floor, soft padding footsteps coming up the stairs. 

“I brought snacks,” Wonshik called, walking passed the open office door and disappearing into their bedroom. The detective grinned. 

He stood and skittered out of his office, cornering his husband in their small walk-in closet. Wonshik was still in his teacher clothes, navy blazer and nice jeans. Wire rimmed glasses perched on the bridge of his nose, top button of his shirt undone, a soft curl to his mouth and slight droop to his eyelids as he smiled. 

“Hi-ya, professor!” Jaehwan chirped, winding his arms around his husband's middle. 

“Looks like you got some sleep,” Wonshik replied. He reached up to tweak Jaehwan’s earlobe, pressing a gentle kiss to his brow. 

“I did. How were the kids?”

“Demonic, as usual.”

Jaehwan hummed, letting his fingers wind under Wonshik’s collar. His husband looked very handsome. Not that this was unusual, quite the contrary, but it simply struck the detective more in certain moments. Moments like this one. “Are you stressed, professor? You seem tense,” he inquired, cheekiness apparent in his tone as he kneaded the tension from his husband’s shoulders. 

“Significantly less than I have been in the past few days, knowing you’re safe at home.”

This was the answer Jaehwan had been expecting, but he didn’t let it deter him from his course. He plucked at his husband’s shirt, distracted as he murmured, “I want to help you relax.”

Wonshik’s smile was so loving that the detective could almost feel the warmth of it on his skin and he basked in its gentle glow. “What do you have in mind?”

That gentle rumble of a voice that Jaehwan had fallen in love with the first time he’d heard it, announcing that the next song to be played on their college radio station was ‘Work It, by Missy Elliot’. Jaehwan had never liked hip hop all that much, but he would have listened to Wonshik’s voice for hours. 

“Let me suck you off,” Jaehwan answered, already tugging his husband out of the closet. He stumbled over his own feet a little, adding, “please, professor?” For good measure. 

“You know I’d never turn down an offer like that,” Wonshik chuckled, allowing Jaehwan to push him back so he sat on the edge of their bed. 

Jaehwan dropped to his knees but Wonshik caught his face in one large hand before the detective could even begin unbuckling his belt. Claiming Jaehwan’s mouth in the sweetest of kisses. Wonshik was always like that, a tender heart and kind soul, and Jaehwan softened against him with practiced ease. 

The detective felt a flicker of excitement in his veins. It was heady, the feeling of his husband’s tongue tracing the seams of his lips. He smiled into their kiss for a few moments longer, letting his chest fill with elation at the soothing touches on the nape of his neck. 

Wonshik pulled back then, his fingers spreading to cradle Jaehwan’s jaw as the latter sunk down onto the floor until he was eye level with Wonshik’s crotch. 

“Hi,” he said, bringing his face forward so he could nuzzle the tent in his husband’s jeans, carefully peeling his pants off so he could mouth at the hardness there. Jaehwan flicked his eyes up, his gaze still innocent and soft even though he was dragging his tongue against Wonshik’s underwear, gradually wetting the fabric.

“Hey,” Wonshik rumbled dotingly back, his chuckle breaking off into a groan of pleasure. 

His husband’s hand returned back to his hair; he didn’t tug or push, just lay his palm against the base of Jaehwan’s skull. The touch grounded him, cast a calmness over him, reminded him that he was home. This was where he belonged outside of his work, resting his head on Wonshik’s lap as his husband sifted his fingers through his locks. 

Jaehwan tugged down his boxers with his mouth, all the way down his thighs, his teeth teasingly dragging against Wonshik’s expanse of skin above his length. He took his time, pressing a lazy kiss against his hipbone, another against his thigh, and a final one on the tip of his cock. Jaehwan darted his tongue out a little just to taste him, just to feel Wonshik’s hand on his head twitch. 

But he didn’t draw Jaehwan away, just let him have his fun, didn’t do anything even as the detective licked a slow stripe up his length. 

“You’re so good sweetheart,” Wonshik murmured, and Jaehwan’s heart stuttered at the praise before he finally took his husband into his mouth, his hands resting on Wonshik’s thighs for leverage. “Such a good boy.”

Jaehwan scooted forward on his knees a little, sucking down Wonshik’s length until he nearly reached the base, humming gently in his throat. Wonshik made encouraging noises of assent, and he was telling Jaehwan how good he was, how sweet and lovely he was. He pulled off slowly, making sure his lips were slick with his husband’s precum before glancing back up again.

He spoke around Wonshik’s cock, his lips brushing teasingly against the sensitive skin. “You taste so good Professor, will you come for me?” Jaehwan stuck his tongue out, Wonshik’s head catching and bobbing against it. “Will you give me it to me?” Jaehwan curled his tongue then, so it flicked against the underside, smiling immaturely when Wonshik choked, his hands flexing and dropping down to Jaehwan’s shoulders. 

“Ye-Yes Jaehwan, fuck--you’re so pretty sweetheart,” he gasped out like he couldn’t help himself. “Come here, you’re so--”

There was a faint ping from his pocket, and Jaehwan immediately drew back his mouth, mildly wiping at the spit that had collected at the corner of his mouth. “Sorry Professor...let me just...I need to just check this.” He pulled out his phone and swiped at the notifications. It was just Seokjin. 

_‘Get ur ass over here and work bitch.’_

Jaehwan rolled his eyes, swiping his screen till it hit camera mode. He resettled back between Wonshik’s legs and abruptly sunk his wet mouth back onto his husband’s cock--Wonshik jolted and moaned loudly--shooting a cheeky wink with his hand on the shutter. Jaehwan sent the picture with two clicks and tossed his phone across the room, returning his attention to his husband with vigor. 

“Professor are you going to punish me for that? You going to fuck my mouth?” Wonshik’s hands scrabbled at the back of his neck as Jaehwan ducked his head down all the way until his nose pressed against his abdomen and he could lap at the base of his cock. Jaehwan gurgled when his husband’s hips jerked; he didn’t mean to, immediately attempting to tug off the detective so he could breathe, but Jaehwan persisted, sucking loudly and swallowing around his length just to drive Wonshik up a wall. 

“Fuck--” Wonshik cursed, thrusting into Jaehwan’s mouth with short and smooth movements as to not choke him. The drag was quite pleasant against the walls of his mouth, and Jaehwan closed his eyes, letting his husband set the rhythm, faster and faster until Wonshik groaned lowly, hips twitching as he came down Jaehwan’s throat. 

Jaehwan waited until his husband was completely done, dutifully sucking him into oversensitivity as to not leave a single trace. 

“Was that good, professor?” Jaehwan asked, struggling to speak around the roughness in his throat but winking at his husband all the same. 

“Unparalleled,” Wonshik replied, breathless, that sleepy look in his eyes that he always got post-orgasm. Wonshik re-zipped his jeans and slid off the bed. He got on Jaehwan’s level, kissing him slowly, deeply, groaning when the elder nipped his bottom lip. Jaehwan smiled against his mouth but eventually pulled away. 

“I have to go in, Jinnie’s going to throttle me,” he murmured, freeing himself from his husbands embrace and padding over to retrieve his phone. Sure enough, there was a new message from his partner, labeled unread. 

_‘U can fuck later, get over here rn!’_

Jaehwan sighed, feeling Wonshik come up behind him, hugging him tight. “Do you want me to drive you?”

“I’ll just be at the hospital so I’m not going very far. Thank you for the offer though.”

“Should I keep dinner warm for you?”

The detective shook his head. “It’s going to be a late night, I can tell. I will take some snacks for the road, though.”

Once Jaehwan was in the car, lunch bag full to bursting and _other_ appetite sated, he sent his partner a text to let him know he was on his way. He also sent his husband the selfie he’d taken mid-fellatio (it really was a good one) so Wonshik would have photographic evidence of why he put up with Jaehwans ridiculous work schedule. 

Turning the key in the ignition and typing the hospital’s address into his gps, Jaehwan let his mind wander. 

_What's Armani doing right now?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Praise @Jaehwanet for helping me with smut and spelling because I'm hopeless at both


	3. Tear You Apart

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [Song for the Chapter](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lzgTnK3agPM)

“How did this guy manage to turn off just that _one_ camera? Like only the one showing where the murder took place? And, now that I think about it, how did he know that's where the target would be standing?”

Jaehwan took the phone from his partner's hand and rewound. “The more important question is why he didn’t wipe the one showing him drugging us,” he said, staring at Armani’s back as he walked around the ballroom.

The note Armani had slipped him was safe in the top drawer of his bureau, nestled in amongst a mess of mismatched socks. He still hadn’t told anyone about it. Not even Seokjin. It was like a dirty little secret. Something just for him. A professional assassin had called him gorgeous. And not just _any_ assassin. The _best._ It was somehow thrilling and terrifying in equal measure. 

Jaehwan set the phone down and rubbed his eyes with the heels of his hands. It was almost midnight, he hadn’t eaten in way too many hours, and he was running out of time. The girl was still incoherent, traumatized to the point of hysteria from her ordeal, and in no fit state to answer questions yet. Not that he blamed her, of course, it was a miracle she wasn’t worse off than she was. But MI6 would be coming to take over the investigation tomorrow and Jaehwan wasn’t prepared to let her go yet. He had so many questions for her. Like why would Armani be the one hired to kill her kidnapper? Had she met him before? Did she know who her kidnappers contacts were? Anything that might help the detective riddle out Armani’s motives were more precious than diamonds, but he couldn’t get any of them if she was taken away by the higher-ups. 

“Do you even have your phone with you?” Seokjin asked, swiping his own off the table. They’d been looking at the footage on his. “Yeah, it’s in my bag, why?”

“Your husband just texted me.”

Jaehwan sat up abruptly. “Why?”

Worst case scenarios flew through Jaehwan’s mind, entirely unprompted. Wonshik had found Armani’s note. He thought Jaehwan was having an affair. He was going to leave-

“He brought us dinner.”

“Oh,” Jaehwan sighed, immediately filled with a sense of relief. He wasn’t even entirely sure why he felt guilty... other than the fact he’d never kept a secret from his husband in his whole life. But it was just a note. Nothing important. “I’ll go get it, you stay here and watch her.”

Seokjin nodded, already distracted by what looked like a work email, so Jaehwan stood, pulling on his beaten up leather jacket as he made his way through the halls and down to the ground floor. He’d nodded to the two armed guards stationed outside the girls room, but a sudden need to feel his husbands reassuring warmth distracted the detective from paying attention to much else. 

“I thought you two might be hungry- _ah,”_ Wonshik said, ending on a breathy laugh as Jaehwan careened into him. He gave the detective a one armed hug and a kiss on the forehead, holding the plastic bag of takeout away from harm's reach. Wonshik always smelled so good, like cinnamon cookies baking in an oven, and Jaehwan breathed deeply as he hid his face in the crook of his husband's neck. 

The hospital was relatively empty, unsurprising with the lateness of the hour, just a few nurses wandering about. Jaehwan was grateful for the lack of spectators and used the opportunity to steal a much needed kiss. “Hard night?” Wonshik asked softly, tugging on Jaehwan’s ear. 

The detective exhaled sharply and closed his eyes tight. “Boring, actually, and frustrating.”

“Frustrating?”

“She’s not talking. I’m not going to be able to ask her anything about Armani before MI6 come get her.”

Wonshik clicked his tongue, smiling that patronizing smile he always did when Jaehwan talked about his pet project. Uninterested but supportive. “How much could she really know? She was just a victim,” he replied, running his fingers through the detectives unstyled and messy hair. 

“She still has eyes and ears, and she was at the targets side at all times, if our intel is correct. She knows, she's just not ready to talk yet.”

“I’m sure you’ll find a way,” Wonshik replied, handing Jaehwan the bag. “And I got extra potstickers for you.”

“I love you so much,” the detective murmured, stealing another kiss and feeling his husband smile. 

“I love you too, sweetheart.”

Jaehwan reluctantly pulled away. “I’ve got to go back up and annoy Jinnie before he accidentally falls asleep, but thank you.”

“Go on then. Any ETA on when you’ll be home?”

“Probably pulling an all-nighter,” Jaehwan pouted, taking the bag of food from his husband's outstretched hand and turning to retrace his path to the elevator. He desperately wanted to just ditch his partner and go home with Wonshik. To cuddle up under the covers and get a good night's sleep. But, alas, duty called. 

“Be careful,” Wonshik called after him, and Jaehwan waved his ascent, turning back to look as he waited for the elevator. Worry was plain in the set of his husband's mouth, and it pained Jaehwan to see. Knowing he was the reason for it. There was a little furrow between his eyebrows as well. The detective blew a kiss and Wonshik caught it, making a show of putting it safely in the pocket of his sweatpants. Jaehwan smiled. 

Once he’d stepped through the automatic doors and the elevator began to climb, Jaehwan allowed himself to get slightly lost in thought. Memories of being at university, alone in a forign country and without his family for the first time in his life. Of meeting Wonshik. 

He’d searched up where the campus radio station was actually located after tuning in for three weeks, just so he could hear that sonorus baritone rumble through his tiny headphones. Jaehwan had dressed in his tightest jeans and most expensive t-shirt, hung around outside the room he’d assumed to be the sound booth, and waited until the red light above it turned off and a twenty-year-old Wonshik had stepped out. 

He remembered being absolutely dazzled by Wonshiks then-silver hair, the way he smiled. Jaehwan had been struck so dumb that he’d failed to answer the first two questions of _‘can I help you’_ and then _‘are you okay?’_ He’d asked Wonshik out for coffee on the spot before he’d even introduced himself, and Jaehwan hadn’t regretted that decision. Wonshik had said yes. 

The elevator dinged and Jaehwan shook himself from his reverie, accidentally bumping shoulders with a nurse entering when he exited. 

Wait...

Jaehwan swung back around and nearly lost his breath. The nurse was facing away from him, but that didn't matter. Jaehwan had been staring at _his_ back for almost forty-eight hours. 

“Hey!” he shouted, accidentally dropping the bag of takeout as he dashed back and skidded through the closing doors. The nurse turned around, a subtle arch to his brows as he looked down at the detective. The suit was nowhere to be seen, replaced with dark blue hospital scrubs, a half-facemask, and nike running shoes, but Jaehwan still recognized him. 

The detective went for his gun on instinct, training beginning to kick in without conscious thought, but Armani knocked it out of his hand before Jaehwan had managed to point it anywhere useful. He ducked to pick it up, unsuccessfully, and hissed as his back collided with the closed elevator doors. Armani had grabbed him by the front of his jacket and shoved him, one large hand now wrapped around his throat. They were going down. 

“Fancy seeing you here, gorgeous.”

Jaehwan tried to breathe, fought to calm his racing heart as he stared into the assassins dark eyes. So dark they were almost black. 

“You’re under arrest,” he tried, voice coming out much higher than the authoritative tone he’d been aiming for. Armani chuckled. 

“I don’t think so.” The assassins stillness was unnerving, not even a twitch of muscle. Not even when Jaehwan began to struggle and aimed a kick at his shin. That kind of kinesthetic control was usually a result of training, Jaehwan’s mind supplied, as he scratched at Armani’s face. All the scratching did was pull the mask off and get his arms pinned above his head. 

“Are you ex-military?” Jaehwan asked, trying to think of a way to stall, a way for him to alert Seokjin- Armani had been on the girls floor. _Fuck._

The assassin didn’t answer. He was too close. Too close by half. Jaehwan couldn’t breathe. Heart ratcheting in his chest and adrenaline coursing through his veins. He was going to die, he was sure of it. Armani was going to kill him. At least he’d gotten to say 'I love you' to Wonshik one last time. 

But... Wonshik. Wonshik had been down in the lobby not even two minutes ago. He might not be gone yet. _Double fuck._

“Why are you here?! What were you doing upstairs?!” Jaehwan tried again, still sounding uncomfortably shrill even to his own ears. He didn’t know what to do. No gun. No phone. An opponent that was bigger, stronger, and faster than him, who would not hesitate to kill him if he made the wrong move. Jaehwan was genuinely surprised he wasn’t dead yet. 

“Sorry about knocking you out the other day,” Armani said conversationally, as though they were having a conversation over coffee. As though he _wasn’t_ pinning Jaehwan to a door and half choking him. 

Jaehwan tried to calculate the physical consequences of further fighting and failed, too much could be done to him. Too much could go wrong. 

“Thanks for not killing me.” 

“You’re quite welcome.”

The elevator dinged and Jaehwan’s panic skyrocketed. He needed to keep Armani talking, keep him from leaving before he could be detained, but the doors were opening and the assassin was pushing him backwards, releasing the iron grip on his throat and winding a tight arm around Jaehwan’s waist instead. 

“Scream, and I’ll kill you like I should have at the gala,” Armani murmured, something sharp pressing against Jaehwans hip. Under his jacket but over his shirt. His mouth was much too close to Jaehwan’s ear, only a nerves thickness away. The detective could barely see from panic. _What had happened upstairs?!_

The two walked slowly toward the sliding doors that led to the parking lot, Armani keeping his head down as they went. He was being used as cover, Jaehwan realized, nobody would pay much attention to what looked like a worried couple leaving a hospital. The staff must see people like that about a thousand times a day. He opened his mouth and the sharp thing pressed harder, slicing through the fabric of Jaehwan’s button-up and breaking the skin a little. A warning. 

“What’s your name?” Jaehwan asked as they reached the door, but he didn’t get an answer. What he got was the sound of his own name, spoken in a very surprised and all together different voice. Wonshik was still there. Standing on the pavement with his phone to his ear, but his eyes were fixed on the detective. 

Armani paused, glanced at Wonshik, and then turned back to Jaehwan. Mouth curved in a smile of vicious amusement. He raised the hand that wasn’t holding what Jaehwan presumed to be a knife, carding his fingers through Jaehwan’s blonde hair and pressing his lips to the shell of Jaehwan’s ear. Seemingly oblivious to the fact that Jaehwan's large and slightly intimidating looking husband was stomping towards them. Something flared behind Jaehwan’s ribs as Armani whispered, “If you hurry, you can still save your partner's life.”

And then he was just gone, jogging in the opposite direction Wonshik was coming from and disappearing into the back of a large black sedan. 

“Who the fuck was that?!” Wonshik asked loudly, but Jaehwan had already taken off. Running as fast as he could through the lobby and through the door to the staircase. He heard his husband calling for him, following after him, but Jaehwan was too scared to process Wonshik's words. He took the stairs two at a time, bursting out into the fifth floor landing and shouting at the people in the nurses station to help him. 

The scene inside the girls room dragged a scream from the depths of Jaehwan’s insides. Blood everywhere, scarlet staining everything in sight, the two armed officers face down on the ugly carpet and the girls throat slit from ear to ear in a crimson smile. Seokjin was slumped over in his chair, a thin line of red dripping from his nose, but visibly still breathing. 

Jaehwan crashed down to his knees in front of his partner, tears springing unbidden from his eyes as he tried to shake Seokjin awake, patting his cheeks to bring him back to consciousness, but he wouldn’t wake up.

He heard an audible intake of breath behind him but Jaehwan didn’t turn to look. He couldn’t lose his best friend, not like this-

A flood of doctors entered the room but Jaehwan refused to move. He wouldn’t leave Seokjin to die their alone, couldn’t do it. Wouldn’t allow his best friend to be taken from him. A pair of strong arms wound around his middle and dragged him up and Jaehwan fought them with all the savagery he could muster. 

“Sweetheart! Hwannie, calm down, they're going to take care of him,” Wonshiks voice said. The detective went limp, any and all strength draining from him in an instant. He cried harder, letting his husband hug him as his partner was put on a gernie and wheeled from the room. 

“It- it was _him._ It was A-armani.”

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Praise Monie for Beta'ing
> 
> Hakyeon shows up next chapter *insert peace sign emoji*


	4. Crossfire

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m sorry this is so short, I’ve had a weird week.
> 
> [Song for the Chapter](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eH4F1Tdb040)

“Does anyone have an adderall... or a gun?”

It had been twenty-four hours since the hospital catastrophe. Jaehwan’s boss had graciously given him time to work through his shock, and waited for Seokjin to be released by his doctors, before bringing them in for the talk.

“I don’t have either,” Seokjin grumbled, slumped over the conference table at Jaehwan's side. “By the way, this is the second time your Armani guy has nearly killed me, and I’m not happy about it.”

“He’s never tried to kill you, only knock you out,” Jaehwan corrected. He’d only injected Seokjin with a mild tranquilizer and broken his nose. It was a trick, seemingly for Jaehwan's benefit. Always theatrical smoke and mirrors. 

“Don’t defend him, everyone saw how cozy you two got,” Seokjin snapped, kicking Jaehwan under the table. 

“He had a _knife_ on me! I am going to have a scar! What the fuck did you expect me to do?!” Jaehwan retorted, shoving his partner so hard that seokjin almost fell off his chair. Seokjin snickered unkindly. “I’m sure Shik wasn’t pleased, have you seen the tape yet? He looked ready to snap someone’s neck when Armani kissed you.”

Jaehwan hadn’t, but he could imagine his husband's expression well enough. Wonshik hadn’t let Jaehwan out of his sight since leaving the hospital. He was down in the lobby as they spoke, waiting to take Jaehwan home after this stupid meeting was finished. 

“Armani didn’t _kiss_ me, he just whispered to me.”

“Doesn’t look like that on the tape.”

“I don’t give a shit what it looked like! He didn’t kiss me!”

Seokjin hummed under his breath and sat up. “Well anyway, if they fire you, please take me with you.”

“I won’t do that,” Jaehwan replied, voice just a touch too harsh. “It was my fuck up. I should have been there. Maybe I could have stopped it.”

“It wasn’t a fuckup. We had two armed officers and were doing exactly what we were supposed to do. And I’ve been looking for an excuse to quit this shitty job for months.”

“Still-“

Jaehwan shut his mouth with a snap as the conference room door opened. Their boss entered the room, an unpleasant and burly man that always smelt slightly like ham. But there was someone else with him, another man. Tall, not as tall as Jaehwan but still tall, with warm honeyed skin and black hair so shiny it almost looked like a wig. The man was beautiful, no mistake, and he moved with the grace of what could either be a dancer or a trained fighter. 

“This is bad business, detectives, very bad business,” their boss said, collapsing in a chair with a grunt. The elegant man stayed standing. 

Jaehwans phone vibrated in his pocket but he ignored it. 

“Sir, can I just-“ 

Their boss held up a hand, cutting Jaehwan's attempt at placation off before he’d even fully formed the thought. “We are joined by Mr. Cha Hakyeon, head of the USA desk for MI6,” he said, gesturing to the new man. 

Cha Hakyeon nodded, first to Jaehwan, then Seokjin. His mouth stayed firmly closed. 

“You’ve thrown a wrench into his investigation with your incompetence, Lee. That girl was a valuable asset.”

_“My_ incompetence?!” Jaehwan exclaimed incredulously. His emotions had been running high since Armani pushed him in that elevator and he was dangerously close to losing his temper. “I’m the one who carried this entire investigation! I’ve been looking into Armani for years! Nobody else was connecting his crimes! Nobody else even believed it was the same person! I’ve been trying to warn everyone but nobody would listen!”

Their boss slammed his fist on the table top and Jaehwan flinched. “The girl is dead, Lee! We’ve lost a valuable asset and two excellent officers, because you were too busy making out with your husband to do your job!”

“You’re a fucking jackass!”

The words left Jaehwan's mouth before he’d fully processed their impact. But his nerves were fried, he didn’t like being shouted at, and his boss really _was_ a jackass.

“Don’t speak to me that way, Lee,” his boss snapped, aiming a glare in Seokjin’s direction. “And you, Kim. Save yourself, don’t speak”

“I haven’t said anything?”

“No, but we can all hear you thinking,” Cha Hakyeon murmured, speaking for the first time since he entered the room. He had a very pleasant velvety voice, Jaehwan thought idly. 

“In any case, someone’s got to take the fall for this mess, Lee. And you’re already too close to this investigation, I’m worried you’re impartiality is compromised.”

“My _impartiality?!_ I wanted to catch him more than any of you!”

Cha Hakyeon gave a delicate cough. “We’ve all seen the footage, detective Lee. This assassin is clearly sweet on you. What with all the petting and hugging,” he said, a sly little smile quirking up the corner of his mouth. 

Jaehwan's patience snapped. He jumped to his feet, about to walk around the table and punch the closest person in the face, but his partner grabbed the back of his jacket and dragged him back down into his chair. “He had a _knife_ on me!” The detective snarled, raising his shirt so everyone could see the slash on his ribs. 

“That’s enough!” Their boss replied angrily, getting to his feet. 

“If I may just interrupt-“

“No, Mr. Kim, you may not!”

“Well fuck you then,” Seokjin replied. He may call Jaehwan reckless, but their levels of self preservation skills were equally low.

The room went silent for two, three seconds. Cha Hakyeon coughed again. “Looks like there’s going to be some reshuffling in this department.”

“Indeed,” their boss said, glaring from Jaehwan to Seokjin. “I think it’d be best for you both to leave now. Your things will be sent to you.”

The two detectives stood up and made for the exit. Jaehwan was fuming. He was so upset that he almost missed Seokjin say, "Just to be clear...” and their bosses hiss, “You’re both fired.”

“Well, that went about as well as I expected,” his partner said, once they were safely alone in the elevator. 

Jaehwan sighed. “I know, but I still wish it had gone differently.”

⬲---⟴

Jaehwan was in his favorite pair of striped cotton pajamas, tears drying on his cheeks. He was curled up with Wonshik on the couch, half a bottle of wine left on the coffee table, a shitty action movie playing on their too-wide flatscreen. 

Wonshik was petting his hair, but Jaehwan could barely feel it. He was so disappointed with himself it was like a physical ache in his stomach. And now he’d have to find a new job. Go through the tedium of resumes and interviews and more resumes and more interviews. 

A soft knock of the front door startled him from his moping and Jaehwan sat up. Wonshik was half asleep and Jaehwan decided to let him rest. He got to his feet and padded down the hallway to see who was visiting in the middle of the night. 

It was Mr. Cha Hakyeon. 

“Do you need anything from the store?” He asked, looking impeccable despite the lateness of the hour. 

Jaehwan blinked. “Pardon?”

“Do you need anything from the store? Milk or bread or anything?”

“Uhhh... milk maybe?”

Ten minutes later, Jaehwan having thrown a coat on over his pajamas and exchanged his slippers for trainers, the two men had walked to the corner store in silence.

  
  


“Are you married?”

“Yeah,” Jaehwan answered, voice more squeaky than he would have liked. This was all very weird. “Are you?”

“I have been... several times. But not at present.”

Jaehwan opened his mouth and then shut it again, unsure of what to say. 

“I’d like to have a meeting with you,” Hakyeon said, perusing the dairy case like he’d never seen one before. Jaehwan trailed after him, a bit dumbfounded. 

“Does this not count as a meeting?”

Hakyeon smiled, giving Jaehwan a knowing look over his shoulder. “Not quite. When you’re feeling better, we should get breakfast. There’s a nice cafe in covent garden, meet me there on Thursday at ten o’clock. I’ll wait for ten minutes.”

“What’s this about?” Jaehwan asked, following the older man down the bread aisle. Hakyeon did that little smile again. “Armani.”

The detective perked up at once. His favorite topic. “Is it about the investigation? Did you find something out? His location? Who he works for?”

Hakyeon held up a hand and Jaehwan fell instantly silent. The aura of command radiating off this man was unmistakable. 

“I’ll tell you all about it on Thursday, if you come, and you’d better buy something.”

“Why?”

“Don’t want your husband to think you’re having an affair.”

Jaehwan let out a nervous little tinkling laugh. “I don’t think he’d believe I was having an affair.”

“They all think we’re having affairs before they think we’re secret agents.”

“Wonshik would probably think it more likely that I was a secret agent...” Jaehwan trailed off, watching Hakyeon walk away. Just as he reached the door, the older man looked back. 

“Better make him think you’re having an affair then.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Praise @monsterboyf for beta’ing


	5. Writing's On The Wall

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [Song for the Chapter](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8jzDnsjYv9A)

“I’m going.”

“Are you sure you want to do this?”

“No.”

Wonshik sighed, watching his husband pace around their small, but cozy, living room. Jaehwan was half dressed, shirt untucked and buttons done up the wrong way. He only had on one shoe and his other foot flashed a bit of striped sock each time he took a step. It was an incredibly endearing sight. 

“If you aren’t sure, then why are you going?” he asked, eyeing Jaehwan over the rim of his coffee mug. Wonshik had to get to school soon, but he had a few minutes to spare to help his husband through this mini existential crisis. Jaehwan gave him an incredulous look. 

“Because he’s MI6! High up, too! What kind of idiot would I be to turn down an opportunity like this? And it’s not like I have any other job prospects lining up!”

Wonshik set his mug down and stood, circling their coffee table to catch his husband up in a loose hug. “Just take some time off and enjoy yourself, sweetheart. Join that community theater troupe you’re always talking about or start drawing again. We have enough saved for you to have some time off.”

Jaehwan buried his face in the crook of Wonshik’s neck, muttering something about ‘resume gaps’ and trying to bite Wonshik’s earlobe. The younger man gave him a squeeze, pressing a kiss to the top of his head. 

“Anyway,” Jaehwan grumbled, pulling slightly back so he could look Wonshik in the eye, “That all sounds great, but you know I’d go crazy being a stay-at-home dad.”

“We don’t have kids.”

“See! The plan has multiple flaws.”

Wonshik couldn’t help but smile. He knew Jaehwan was right, and he also knew that chasing down his assassin as a member of MI6 was basically Jaehwan’s idea of a wet dream. He’d support his husband in whatever he chose to do, but the urge to keep Jaehwan out of harm's way was still there. This new job, if Jaehwan was actually _offered_ a job, would be much more dangerous than the one he’d had. There could easily be more nights waiting and worrying, more rides in cop cars to pick up an injured Jaehwan from the hospital. Or worse, more times having to watch that Armani guy run his hands all over Jaehwan like he owned him.

That experience had been... well, Wonshik knew Jaehwan wasn’t cheating on him. Firstly, because Jaehwan simply wasn’t the kind of person to do something like that, and secondly, because Jaehwan didn’t have the downtime to pull off an affair. Wonshik wasn’t worried about that aspect, he was confident in his relationship and secure in the love that he knew Jaehwan felt for him. But seeing that _monster_ whisper to Jaehwan and hold him and tug his hair flipped an invisible switch in Wonshik’s head. He hadn’t even understood what was going on for the first five seconds, simply baffled that the husband he’d kissed goodbye not two minutes before was back, but in the arms of another man. It simply hadn’t made sense. And then the switch flipped and he’d felt angrier than he had in a _very_ long time. 

And then seeing the aftermath of what the assassin had done. All the blood. Having to pull Jaehwan off his injured partner. That had really cemented the danger for Wonshik. Before that, Armani had just been some gross crime scene photos and stories Jaehwan told him. But now he had a face. 

“You just have to promise me one thing,” Wonshik said, pressing soft, loving kisses to his husbands temple. Jaehwan nodded emphatically, a sweet smile blooming on his pretty face. “Anything.”

“Let someone else do the dangerous stuff.”

Jaehwan opened his mouth to interrupt but Wonshik held up a hand. 

“I know you’ve been trained to defend yourself, and I know you don’t need protecting or anything, but please just don’t go running headlong into a fight if you don’t have to.”

“Of course, I won’t do that!” Jaehwan exclaimed, puffing out his cheeks and gracing Wonshik with a pout. 

“Promise?”

“Promise.”

“Good,” the younger replied, stealing a quick peck on the lips before going to put on his shoes. “I have parent teacher conferences tonight, so I may be home a bit late.”

“I’ll keep dinner warm for you then,” Jaehwan called. He was already scampering back upstairs to finish getting dressed. Wonshik watched him go, the affection he felt somewhat assuaging his ever growing worry.

⬲---⟴

Jaehwan had changed his shirt three times and showered twice in the time between Wonshik kissing him goodbye and leaving the house. Not because he spilled something on himself or couldn’t stop sweating. No, he was just insanely nervous about this meeting. And when Jaehwan was nervous, he couldn’t stand still. 

Even now, behind the wheel of his silver Mini Cooper, Jaehwan couldn’t help but fidget. Tapping his fingers on the steering wheel and shifting in his seat. 

Cha Hakyeon was intimidating. Jaehwan usually wasn’t intimidated very easily, but something about Hakyeon's aura made him shiver slightly. And showing up at Jaehwan’s house uninvited in the middle of the night hadn’t helped his sense of nervousness at all. That entire interaction had been beyond weird. 

Jaehwan parked his car a few blocks from his destination, deciding that he could use the short walk to shake some of the tension from his limbs. It sort of worked, and he was a bit less jittery when he pushed open the door to the cafe Hakyeon had mentioned. It was a cozy spot, warmth and the smell of fresh coffee enveloping Jaehwan as soon as he stepped inside. And crowded. Surprisingly crowded. Jaehwan would have assumed that MI6 meetings usually took place in a more private setting.

He spotted Hakyeon at once, charcoal colored wool coat handing off the back of his chair, sitting at a table in the opposite corner. He was looking at something on his phone and hadn’t noticed Jaehwan enter, only looking up when the detective sat down across from him. 

“Ah, you came! Excellent,” Hakyeon said, pocketing his phone and folding his hands on the tabletop. 

Jaehwan nodded. He was unsure of where to look, eventually settling on the spot right between Hakyeon's eyebrows. “Did you think I wouldn’t?”

“No. I knew you would.”

The detective cleared his throat. “So, uh- what about Armani did you wanted to speak to me about?” he asked, contemplating ordering something to drink before immediately rejecting the idea. He wasn’t here for coffee, he was here to answer Hakyeon’s questions. But camouflage? Blending in to the surroundings? That seemed like an important-

“How did you end up settling here in London, Mr. Lee?”

Jaehwan blinked hard, trying to force his brain to stop going off on tangents. “Uh... I studied abroad here for Uni. Only planned for one semester but then just never left. I’m from Seoul originally. And you?”

Hakyeon gave Jaehwan an unreadable smile. “You speak korean then?” he replied, pointedly ignoring Jaehwan’s question. 

“Yes.”

“Oh good, that will be useful in the field,” Hakyeon said, switching to korean. His English accent had been flawless, and Jaehwan wondered where this man had come from. He was a puzzle for sure. “How is your marriage?”

“Pardon?” Jaehwan asked, almost forgetting to speak korean he was so startled by the question.

“How is your marriage? Good? Bad? Does your husband drink too much or stay out too late?”

Jaehwan felt a prick of annoyance at that. His private life was none of this man’s business. “No, our relationship is perfect. And my husband barely drinks at all, though I’m not sure why it matters to you.”

Hakyeon nodded slowly. “I saw him on the cctv from the hospital incident, he seems trustworthy enough.”

Jaehwan blinked. 

“And how about your ex-partner? Close friend or simply a work colleague?”

“He’s one of my best friends.”

Hakyeon nodded again. “That’s good. And, you know when an employee’s contract is terminated, their hard drives are sifted through before erasing?”

The detective shifted in his seat, trying not to show how caught off guard he was. He’d heard that somewhere, but the reality of it hadn’t sunk in until that moment. Jaehwans Armani project wasn't technically part of his job. Seokjin and his boss indulged him a bit, but he really shouldn’t have been looking into Armani at all. He was a local detective, not assigned to anything interesting like international assassins. And the collection of documents and crime scene photos and notes on his computer would be all the evidence needed to convict him of conducting and illegal investigation. 

A shakey “Oh,” was all he managed to reply, looking down at his lap and pressing his lips together. He could _feel_ Hakyeon smiling at him. 

“Come along, I want to show you something.”

Jaehwan glanced up, praying he wasn’t about to be taken to some secret spy prison. Both men stood and left the cafe without another word. They walked in silence for a few minutes before Hakyeon stopped in front of a nondescript and slightly rundown looking building. 

“What’s this?” Jaehwan asked, but Hakyeon ignored him, simply unlocking the door and motioning Jaehwan inside. The detective went, but very, _very_ hesitantly. 

They climbed two flights of creaky stairs and then Hakyeon unlocked a second door just off the landing. 

When Jaehwan crosses the threshold, his jaw nearly hit the floor. All the photos, all the documents, composite sketches and maps, all of it was pinned in perfect order to a cork board that dominated the majority of the far wall. “This is fucking crazy!” He exclaimed, walking further inside and staring at a list of names. It was all of his research on Armani, all spread out before him like a mirage.

“In what way?”

Hakyeon was leaning against the door frame and Jaehwan turned to stare at him in disbelief. “This is like being inside my own brain!”

“I know. I was a little surprised when I saw the contents of your harddrive, if I’m honest. Your pet project has been all over my wall for months.”

“Uhh... hello?”

Jaehwan jumped several feet in the air and spun around. He’d been so focused on the board that he hadn’t noticed what appeared to be a teenager in a hoodie behind a bank of computer monitors in the corner of the room. Hakyeon unfolded his arms and stood up straight. 

“Oh yes, Jaehwan, this is Jungkook. Jungkook, this is Jaehwan. He’ll be joining you here, I hope.”

“Is he old enough to work here?” Jaehwan asked, eyeing the kid in mild confusion. Hakyeon laughed softly. “Jungkook is my resident tech person. He can hack anything, trace anyone, it’s remarkable really.”

“And I’m twenty-two,” the kid, Jungkook, added. 

Jaehwan turned back to look at Hakyeon, unable to voice his questions. There were too many.

“We think Agent X, or as you call him, Armani, has been operating in ten countries for the past two years. The ultimate goal here is finding out who he works for and what their aims are. With your, let’s be kind and call it a _fascination_ with Armani, you’d make a valuable team leader.”

“What team?”

Hakyeon shrugged. “You have Jungkook here at your disposal, and you can have one more person. I’ll tell you now, this is off the books. Pay will be reasonable but there won’t be any room for advancement, no corporate ladder to climb. And if something goes wrong, both you and your team are completely deniable.”

Jaehwan kept his mouth shut for a full five seconds before replying, not wanting to seem too eager. “Yes. I’ll do it.”

It didn’t matter that this project was off the record. Didn’t matter that he’d be working in what looked to be a converted studio apartment along side a computer nerd he’d never met before. This was his fucking _dream._

“Excellent,” Hakyeon said, clapping his hands together. “Pick your second and then pack a bag. You’ll need to go to Paris for a few days.”

Jaehwan already had his phone out to dial Seokjins number. “Why Paris?” he asked, distracted. He’d have to text Wonshik. And then call his husband and shriek with excitement for at least ten minutes. 

“There’s been another hit, and I want you on the scene to verify that Armani did it.”

  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Praise @Monsterboyf for beta'ing this story even tho it's not to their taste lolol
> 
> *I use quotes or variations of quotes from the show and the book in this work, so if something sounds familiar, that's where its from*


	6. Lucky You

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry this is short, I'm braindead
> 
> also... hyukbin?
> 
> [Song for the Chapter](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mvSItvjFE1c)

“Where have you been, Sanghyuk?”

Sanghyuk pulled his key free of the lock on his front door and looked around, unsurprised to find his handler sitting on his couch. Barely anything could surprise the assassin anymore. He was getting so bored...

“Hot yoga,” Sanghyuk replied, the lie rolling off his tongue without a second thought. He _hadn’t_ actually been at yoga, he’d gone for a run to try and make himself feel something. It hadn’t worked but the rush of endorphins was nice nonetheless. “Why are you here?”

Hongbin stood, following the assassin down the hall and into the bedroom. “We have another problem.”

“What is it now? The girl is very,  _ very _ dead.”

The assassin pulled his sweaty shirt off over his head and tossed it in the general direction of his laundry basket. He  _ really _ needed a shower. 

“Yeah, she is. And you fucked up with the cctv. The authorities know what you look like now.”

“Would you have preferred my to double back and fix the footage, most likely getting myself killed because of the delay?” Sanghyuk mumbled, walking into the bathroom. He’d hacked the MI5 database the night previous, which honestly was easier to do than it should have been, and downloaded a copy of the cctv evidence. So far, he’d watched it through a total of thirty nine times. Each time he watched himself card his hand through that detectives hair, he could feel a ghost of softness on his fingertips. 

Hongbin crossed his arms, peering at Sanghyuk with palpable disapproval as the assassin turned the taps of his shower on. “No, I wouldn’t have. But now they’re looking into you.”

“So what?” Sanghyuk asked, monotone. He’d already lost interest in the conversation. 

_ “So _ that’s not good!” Hongbin replied. He was getting annoyed now, Sanghyuk could hear it. The assassin stepped out of his joggers, then his boxer, giving his handler a once-over before stepping into the shower. Hongbin was blushing. That was a bit funny at least. 

“What do you want me to do about it? Kill the entirety of the British security services?”

Sanghyuk closed his eyes, letting the warm water run down across his face, then chest, then stomach... he was so  _ bored! _ Maybe Hongbin would let Sanghyuk fuck him. It wouldn’t be the first time, and Sanghyuk could get another hit endorphins to assuage his constant apathy. And his handler wasn’t wearing that hideous shirt today-

“They’ve started a special taskforce to find you.”

The assassins eyes flew open. He froze with the bottle of shampoo in one hand still oozing sandalwood scented gel onto his palm. 

“What?”

“MI6. Off the books. They are coming here to look over your last assignments crime scene.”

Sanghyuk pulled the curtain back, eyes narrowed the slightest bit as he met his handlers gaze. A small smile had crept onto his face.

“No! No, _stop_ that! This isn’t a good thing!” Hongbin exclaimed, but Sanghyuk ignored him. This was _interesting._ A whole task force just to find him. Just for Sanghyuk to play with. 

“Who’s the lead agent?” Sanghyuk asked, closing the curtain and hastily shampooing his hair. 

“It doesn’t matter.”

“Just tell me!”

“No! You don’t need to know, it’ll just be a distraction.”

Sanghyuk took several deep breaths, rinsing his hair and washing his body in record time. He stepped out of the shower and stood still, water dripping off him and splashing softly on the tiled floor. 

“Pass me a towel, would you?” The question was playful, he’d meant it to be, and he was rewarded with his handlers blush deepening a fraction. Hongbin grabbed a towel off the counter and threw it at him. Sanghyuk grinned, wrapping it tight around his waist and padding out into his bedroom, Hongbin still trailing after him like a lost puppy. 

The assassin flopped across his wide bed and blinked up at his handler. 

“Tell me the agents name.”

“No.”

⬲---⟴

Hongbin lay on his side, sweaty hair stuck to his forehead and half asleep. Sanghyuk stared at him. The sex had been good, it usually was, and his handler was now sufficiantly fucked out to give the assassin the answers he needed. 

“C’mon Bin, tell me the lead agents name,” he murmured petting Hongbin’s hair with a gentleness that was forced. It wasn’t the same as that cute detectives. Not as thick. 

Hongbin huffed and rolled onto his back. They both knew he didn’t have enough energy left to resist. 

“Lee Jaehwan,” he paused for a moment, “Does it mean anything to you?”

Sanghyuk shook his head, waiting until he heard Hongbin’s breathing rhythm change, waiting until his handler fell asleep before reaching for his phone. The name meant nothing but he was desperate to put a face to it. He couldn't play games with this new little mouse until he knew what it looked like.

He typed the name into google and clicked to images. Lots of older korean men in business suits. Some ditzy looking popstar. This wasn’t the way Sanghyuk would find him. Maybe the news would be better. If the guy worked for MI6, chances of finding him at all were slim, but it was possible he could have gotten some publicity for solving a high profile case?

No local articles, but that wasn’t surprising. He switched over to international news and there _he_ was. Right smack in the center of the first page Sanghyuk clicked on. Beautiful, stoic, and, above all else, familiar. _ ‘Partners Kim Seokjin and Lee Jaehwan, Dismissed After Hospital Disaster.’ _

It was his blonde detective. The one who he'd drugged and then tried to shoot him. His pretty distraction with the boyfriend who looked like he ate barbells for fun. And the partner was named Kim Seokjin. Interesting, but not nearly as interesting as Lee Jaehwan. Not nearly as interesting as the fact that Lee Jaehwan was coming to examine his crime scene. 

Lee Jaehwan was coming to Paris. This would be _interesting._

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Taeky shows up next chapter <3

**Author's Note:**

> COMMENTS AND KUDOS ARE LOVED <3  
> [Twitter](https://twitter.com/nestras_rvng)  
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